Monthly Archives: November 2013

CN Rail Safety Presentation

29 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections, Train

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CN officials were in town on November 6th to make a presentation to Council and Staff. It was not a public meeting as far as I can understand. Members of the Parry Sound Rail Safety Committee were not invited to intend. Or at least as a member of that committee I wasn’t invited.

I was provided a copy of the presentation by one of the individuals who attended the meeting. I was planning to make a copy and link it to this post but then read at the bottom of the front page: “This presentation contains sensitive and confidential information that should not be distributed without the prior consent of CN”. Sheesh, safety is now a confidential matter. Oh, well. At least I can let you know what it was I thought was interesting but not ‘confidential’.

Key Points:

  1. CN has about 23,000 miles of track. A look at the track routes suggest about a third are in the USA.
  2. About 37 ‘Main Track Accidents in Canada’ were reported to the Transportation Safety Board in Canada (TSB). That’s down from about 104 in 2007. But there is some question as to what is and isn’t reported to the TSB. I’m not comfortable with the absolute numbers presented, but I like the overall trend. The figures for USA operations are 32 in 2012, with 76 in 2007. Again a good relative improvement. The target should be zero, but the public and companies are far from perfect.
  3. CN provided an updated summary of the protocol for securing unattended equipment. This clearly is a response to the tragedy in Lac-Megantic. I’m sure this is a significant upgrade over previous protocols.
  4. CN noted that they are not the owners of the tanker cars that they haul. They are owned either by the clients or leasing companies. In does absolve them of some responsibility, but what is their moral responsibility for transporting goods in what is considered to be unsafe tankers? The airlines restrict what they will carry on the basis of the material hazard level. But where does moral responsibility factor into a balance sheet or profit and loss statement?
  5. CN estimates that about 7% of the cars that roll through Parry Sound carry dangerous commodities. These include:
    1. Poisonous materials (1%) – principally chlorine and anhydrous ammonia
    2. Flammable materials (74%) – liquid propane, gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil
    3. Corrosive materials (23%) – including sodium hydroxide, batteries, various acids
    4. Other (2%) – asphalt, ammonium nitrate (an explosive material)
  6. The CN emergency response plan basically seems to operate on the basis of ‘need to know’. Communications with federal and municipal departments and personnel are provided only “As Conditions Warrant”.

Council noted at a session following this meeting that this was the most information they had ever received from CN. That’s a good start and the reasons for CN to reach out to communities subjected to significant rail traffic are pretty obvious. Transport Canada will be forced by public opinion to propose stricter safety and operations regulations in the wake of Lac-Megantic. The railways are hoping to get ahead of it by convincing communities that they are in the best position to set, implement and monitor standards for rail operations.

I’m not so sure about that. I spent three decades working in an industry, pharmaceuticals, that insisted on significant self regulation and very limited oversight. This is the same industry that reported enviable profits while continuously increasing prices and profits. In the last few years the impact of limited regulatory oversight has been evidenced by multiple settlements, worth billions of dollars, for illegal practices. And now legislators are demanding more oversight by federal departments while denying them the authority to do so, often as a result of industry lobbying.

But there are good people working in the pharmaceutical industry – smart, hardworking and ethical. It’s the same in most industries, including the rail business. It’s the pressure to improve performance, as measured by profits, that causes corners to be cut and principles to be stretched to where there are transgressions, accidents and real damage. Are derailments and the resulting human and environmental damage a result of poor track and rolling stock maintenance, or was it just bad luck? It seems too often it’s cheaper to pay to clean up the mess than than prevent it.

This initiative by CN to reach out to communities is a good start. I’d like to see the railways do more. I’d like them to pay attention to the less easily recognized impact they have on communities with the noise, vibration and pollution arising from heavier, longer and more frequent trains. Right now it feels a bit like tobacco companies focusing on the prevention of deaths from fires caused by smoking in bed while ignoring the impact smoking has on the incidence of cancer, COPD and emphysema. How many years did it take the tobacco industry to admit that smoking wasn’t good for you? And how many years after that was it until they tacitly agreed smoking was potentially lethal? Actually I don’t think they have ever admitted it, they have just resigned themselves to being fined for it. Once again it’s more profitable to just clean up a mess than prevent it.

So let’s hope the railways in time turn their attention to the impact their operations have on communities. Perhaps by working together we can find solutions that improve the health and safety of individuals while making sure the railways remain vigorous and profitable.

A Couple Topics of Current Discussion (Parry Sound in B&W)

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Parry Sound Hydro / Lakeland Power Merger – Initial Thoughts

25 Monday Nov 2013

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Let’s start with the disclaimers, and then I’ll go on to the ‘claimers’.

I am not experienced in the area of power generation, utilities and general merger financial analysis. I do however have experience with mergers and acquisitions, several larger than this one, in the area of biopharmaceuticals. I also spend a fair bit of time looking at, and understanding, the reasons that mergers and acquisitions succeed and fail.

In general acquisitions and mergers do not have a great track record in terms of overall success. Well south of 50% of these transactions succeed when judged as to whether the new combined entity is more valuable post merger than the entities were pre-merger. But there are successes.

Taking a look at Parry Sound Hydro (PSH) as it now stands reveals a corporation that needs to reinvest in its assets. This realization probably was the reason the board of PSH started looking at updating and expanding the power generation capacity of the Cascade Street facility more than a decade ago. The power plant was in need of significant maintenance and upgrades. The thinking as I understand it was to upgrade the generating capacity of the facility at the same time. Rates for green energy were attractive and it was pretty obvious that money was literally spilling over the dam.

Information on the why and what of the proposed merger have been made available on the Town of Parry Sound website (about a third of the way down that page). I won’t do a rehash.

I’ve looked at the documents and my sense is that it is a fair deal for all of the parties involved.

  1. The Town really can’t afford to take on the cost and risk of the project to refurbish and expand power generation capacity; it’s on the order of $15 million.
  2. There are ‘efficiencies’ in head office operations for the merged operation, notably regulatory filings and billing.
  3. Field resources can be spread over a wider base to improve efficiency and effectiveness. These resources include personnel and equipment.
  4. PSH really doesn’t have the personnel to oversee the facility upgrade and expansion. This is a specialized project management type skill that Lakeland either has in-house or has hired in the past for their projects.
  5. The acquisition provides Lakeland with the opportunity to provide optical fibre telecommunication services in Parry Sound. They have the know-how and infrastructure while PSH has the poles and the connections.
  6. This is a regulated market with high barriers to entrance. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the Province regulates prices (good for the consumer) so profits are relatively limited, but relatively secure.

On balance then it looks as though the merger is being done for many of the right reasons. When it comes to analyzing the deal terms I leave that to the board members, the Town, and their consultants. It seems reasonable to me. Hopefully the Town will apply the $3.9 million to paying down some of the higher interest debt it’s carrying. And while the annuity it was receiving from PSH will be reduced with the merger, it’s likely that net revenue would have dropped as a result of the cost of generation repair costs and a reduction in the allowable interest rate on debt. And the Town will save as much as $200K per year with the $3.9 million applied to debt reduction. It’s a net/net win.

A final consideration, I’ve had a chance to speak with two of the PSH board members, Roger Alexander and Gord Rempel about business in general. We haven’t discussed the merger for obvious reasons. I have been impressed with their business knowledge and experience. I know they have spent many hours looking at the options available to PSH and if this is what they are recommending, I believe it is the best opportunity available to the Town.

I’ll be looking at the deal figures and analyzing the merger logic for the next week or so in preparation for the open public session on December 2nd at the Bobby Orr Community Centre. At this point I think it’s a good deal for the Town. I’ll let you know what I think after the meeting next week.

A Small Part of the Deal (Parry Sound in B&W)

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Council Meeting Notes – November 19, 2013

21 Thursday Nov 2013

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It turned out to be a not too long meeting, finished by 9:15. The deputations were to the point and discussion focused on the key issues. Good work in my opinion.

Nothing controversial arose in the meeting. The potential condo development on Emily Street received some attention and provided some additional information. Thinking about development in town, what’s going on with the Age in Place development beside Canadore College? I though this was supposed to have started by now, or at least the plans should have been before Council. This seems to be a good question for Staff. The issue of Big Sound Marina and the whole federal waterfront properties received limited discussion but represent much bigger challenges for the Town. It’s my sense that the waterfront complex represents a ‘loss leader’ for the businesses in town. Without accommodation for transient boaters, the four boat launches and the town dock for event hosting, the Town would not be quite as busy in the summer. Trying to wring out a profit from the operation of Big Sound Marina and the rental of space on the town dock is admirable, but how does the value of these assets compare with the losses we incur at the Bobby Orr Community Centre?

There is additional discussion of theses issues in the text below.

The items of interest in the Councillor reports and questions of Staff included:
– the transfer station is accepting drywall
– the Cascade railway gate installation is awaiting CN, the Town has prepared the site as required
– the Town met with CN officials and had the first productive meeting in what might be decades
– Bowes Street repaving should be complete this week

Correspondence and Deputations

5.4 – Roger Alexander, Chair of the Board of Parry Sound Hydro Corporation regarding a proposed merger between Parry Sound Hydro Corporation and Lakeland Holding Ltd. [The presentation added much more detail to the nature of the merger and the financial impact on the Town. At this point I like what I see but will withhold a final opinion until the public session of December 2nd.]

Consent Agenda

There was nothing significant on the Consent Agenda.

Resolutions and Directions to Staff

9.3.1 – resolution to accept a three-year lease agreement quotation supplied by Near North Business Machines for multifunction copier equipment. [CARRIED – this included a ‘funky’ discussion about the learning cost for new equipment. We’re talking about photocopiers, it’s not like asking people to start driving cars with standard transmissions, or figure out where the ‘Start’ button is in Windows 8. I’m confident Staff is up to the copier challenge.]

9.3.2 – resolution to deem as non-taxable one-third of remuneration paid to members of Council and local boards. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

9.4.1 – two resolutions related to the operation of Big Sound Marina. The first is a call for proposal to operate Big Sound Marina. The second relates to a discussion with Small Craft Harbours regarding a divestiture of Big Sound Marina and/or the Town Docks. [CARRIED – see my preview notes for additional background. The Town will be issuing an RFP for management of Big Sound Marina and the Town Dock. It’s not clear that the Town will receive any offers that are credible. Yes, it looks like a money maker for private company, but it really isn’t, not unless they are able to raise prices considerably or find another revenue stream like renting boats or selling groceries and gas. The Town will also be approaching the Feds regarding the purchase of Big Sound Marina and the Town Dock. As noted by a couple Councillors, there could be major costs associated with the repair and upkeep of these facilities. It is said that a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money. These facilities might well be a boat the size of super tanker. Let’s see where this goes.]

9.5.1 – a resolution to reauthorize for twelve months the Town’s support for parties wishing to apply for the FIT Program. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

By-Laws

10.3.1 – a by-law to permit interim tax billing and set a late payment interest rate of 1 1/4 percent per month for 2014. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

10.4.1 – a by-law to declare the former Fleck Street Road allowance property surplus and confirm the sale of this Town owned property. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

10.4.2 – a by-law to lift the holding provision for the rezoning application for 81 River Street. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

10.4.3 – a by-law to appoint Mark Vandermeer as a building inspector. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

10.4.4 – a by-law to enter into a custodial services agreement with S&B Janitorial. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

10.4.5 – a by-law to amend the lease agreement with Festival of the Sound to share the utility and heating expenses for the CP Station property. [CARRIED – limited discussion.]

10.4.6 – a by-law to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town and DDMJ Construction regarding property in the vicinity of the Champaigne Street boat launch. This concerns the retention of parking spots. [CARRIED – after some accommodation on the part of the developer. Well, I must say that was a new level of ‘business casual’ for a meeting of Council. But we are Northern Ontario aren’t we? Bears, bush pilots, miners. Developers? In the end the Town agreed that 40 double sized spots (no, not double wide), equivalent to 80 regular parking spots was acceptable. Council expressed concern about the commitment the Town was making to the developer and the possibility that they would be left holding the bag if things did not go forward as hoped. I guess they still feel burned by the Granite Harbour development. Rumour has it that the second phase of Granite Harbour is not going to be developed and the developers are trying to flip the property, for a profit. I believe the Town only gets paid for the property once development is complete and the units are sold. But the MOU the Town has in principle agreed to for the Emily Street development makes sense. The developer and and investors need some sense that they will be able to get the necessary accommodations to build the development before investing too much in the planning. It is putting the horse before the cart.]

10.5.1 – a by-law to enter into a transfer payment agreement with the Province of Ontario concerning the grant from the Province under the MIII Forest Street funding agreement. [CARRIED – no discussion.]

Waterfront Development (Parry Sound in Black & White) 


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These notes review only those portions of the council meeting that I see as having greater importance or general community interest. See my agenda preview posts for additional comments.

The official minutes from council meetings are available at the Town of Parry Sound website, no later than the Friday following the meeting. The full council proceeding are available on video through Cogeco. Schedule details are available from the town office (705-746-2101).

Council Agenda Preview – November 19, 2013

18 Monday Nov 2013

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This week’s meeting has a pretty packed agenda with at least three times I think represent important decisions for the Town. The first concerns a proposed merger of the Town’s hydro operations with those of Lakeland Power (item 5.4), the second is the fate of Big Sound Marina and the management of the town’s waterfront assets (item 9.4.1). The third concerns parking for a proposed 168 unit condo-type development on the waterfront behind Emily Street (item 10.4.6). On the development issue, the Town needs to be flexible but it needs to be sure that it doesn’t unintentionally bend over to pick up a dropped soap bar. But let’s see the details and how Council responds to these opportunities and challenges.

Download the full agenda package and read up on the relevant sections. There is much more in the package than I can properly summarize in this preview. There is of course more on the agenda than I have noted below.

Correspondence and Deputations

5.4 – Roger Alexander, Chair of the Board of Parry Sound Hydro Corporation regarding a proposed merger between Parry Sound Hydro Corporation and Lakeland Holding Ltd. [This is the transaction that has been imminent fo the last six months. In fact the negotiations were completed in May, but it’s taken this long to get it through the various municipalities who are shareholders of Lakeland Holding and Parry Sound Hydro. I don’t expect much detail to be presented, that will hopefully come at the December 2nd meeting.]

Consent Agenda

There is nothing significant on the Consent Agenda.

Resolutions and Directions to Staff

9.3.1 – resolution to accept a three-year lease agreement quotation supplied by Near North Business Machines for multifunction copier equipment. [This concerns the lease of four photocopiers/scanners as the lease for the current machines is ending. The cost is about $12,000 per year, slightly higher than the amount for the previous lease.]

9.3.2 – resolution to deem as non-taxable one-third of remuneration paid to members of Council and local boards. [The net/net is that of the about $14,000 that Councillors are paid, only $9,300 is considered to be taxable. The remainder is considered to be remuneration of expenses related to carrying out their responsibilities. It’s the same as it was previously, but must be approved every four years.]

9.4.1 – two resolutions related to the operation of Big Sound Marina. The first is a call for proposal to operate Big Sound Marina. The second relates to a discussion with Small Craft Harbours regarding a divestiture of Big Sound Marina and/or the Town Docks. [This is a big deal as I see it. As the Chamber of Commerce will not be operating Big Sound Marina or the Town Dock this year the Town is faced with the prospect of finding a new operator, operating the facility itself (with unionized Town Staff, or summer students?), or not opening the facilities (not a likely situation). The second resolution concerns requesting direction on whether Staff should approach the Federal Government about the Town acquiring the facilities. This would have pros and cons as mentioned in the Staff R&R. The issue for the Chamber of Commerce seems to be the 20% of gross revenue they are required to remit to the Federal Government. It will be interesting to see what Council thinks about this.]

9.5.1 – a resolution to reauthorize for twelve months the Town’s support for parties wishing to apply for the FIT Program. [This is a reauthorization for an additional twelve months to support companies and individuals applying for FIT Program support.]

By-Laws

10.3.1 – a by-law to permit interim tax billing  and set a late payment interest rate of 1 1/4 percent per month for 2014. [This permits the Town to bill quarterly taxes before the final budget is approved. It seems to me the 1 1/4 % monthly rate is a bit high considering current bank rates, but I guess it will make it easier to collect taxes where a taxpayer has a choice of paying taxes or an outstanding bill accruing interest at a lower rate.]

10.4.1 – a by-law to declare the former Fleck Street Road allowance property surplus and confirm the sale of this Town owned property. [A follow on to previous Council business, nothing new here.]

10.4.2 – a by-law to lift the holding provision for the rezoning application for 81 River Street. [It looks as though the builder can finally get back to work after time in the penalty box for starting without a building permit.]

10.4.3 – a by-law to appoint Mark Vandermeer as a building inspector. [This individual is the new building inspector for McDougall, and will be permitted to conduct inspections on behalf of the Town of Parry Sound. It’s part of a resource sharing agreement between Parry Sound, McDougall and Carling.]

10.4.4 – a by-law to enter into a custodial services agreement with S&B Janitorial. [Nothing of note, check out the council package for the details.]

10.4.5 – a by-law to amend the lease agreement with Festival of the Sound to share the utility and heating expenses for the CP Station property. [This is a cost sharing agreement that will save the Town about $2,500 per year. It makes sense, with the lessee on the hook for some of the expenses they will be motivated to limit these expenses.]

10.4.6 – a by-law to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town and DDMJ Construction regarding property in the vicinity of the Champaigne Street boat launch. This concerns the retention of parking spots. [Okay folks, is it Champagne or Champaigne Street? I can live with either but not both. As noted earlier this is a big issue in my opinion. The developer is leaning on the Town to allow as many as 168 parking spots on the existing Town property proximate to the Champaigne Street boat launch. The Town has suggested that there be 70 spots retained for public use, and no interference with the use of the existing boat launch facility. The developer has suggested only 30 spots. Council is being asked to provide guidance to Staff to negotiate an agreement. There actually is much more involved and I encourage people to download the Council package and review this section (it starts on page 102 of the PDF document).]

10.5.1 – a by-law to enter into a transfer payment agreement with the Province of Ontario concerning the grant from the Province under the MIII Forest Street funding agreement. [Just a matter of dotting i’s and crossing t’s.]

That’s it. See you Tuesday night.

Just Around the Bend (Parry Sound in Black & White)

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Note: Not all agenda items are covered here. I typically skip items that have little material impact on the town. These items include simple requests for Tag Days (permission to canvas), Awareness Weeks/Months, road closures for civic events, and the like. Want to see everything that is on the agenda? The full agenda can be found at the town’s website (http://townofparrysound.com/pagesmith/14).

Parry Sound Hydro / Lakeland Holding Merger Presentation

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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Well, we’re starting to see a little more transparency with respect to the ongoing discussions between Parry Sound Hydro and Lakeland Holding. If you look carefully you may be able to find the ‘merger’ presentation that is posted on the Town’s website. But I’ll bet you can’t. It’s not linked anywhere that I was able to find easily. So, if you aren’t into hide-and-seek, here’s the link: http://www.townofparrysound.com/filecabinet/1327

Prepare to be underwhelmed with what’s presented. Pretty pictures and nothing of any substance. It reminds of the line ‘if I told you more I’d have to kill you’.

Let’s see what is presented at the Tuesday meeting of Council and the official session on December 2nd. As taxpayers we should be provided with all of the financial background for the deal and the financial projections going forward as they apply to Parry Sound. These would include information on expected revenue and the proposed profit sharing formula. It would also be nice to know what impact this merger will have on the level of service we receive in Parry Sound. So many questions and one very opaque presentation. Let’s see.

I’m hoping the merger will provide the resources to permit an expansion of the Cascade generating plant to capture some of the energy, and dollars, that have been spilling over the dam for the last few weeks.

Pretty But Such a Waste (November 2013)

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Council Meeting Notes – November 5, 2013

06 Wednesday Nov 2013

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As expected it was a shorter meeting, over by 8:15 even though it started about fifteen minutes late.

The only item that I found of interest in the Councillors reports and questions of Staff was the announcement that the Town would be presenting information on the Parry Sound Power / Lakeland merger to the public in the next few weeks. It seems that things have progressed to the point where we will be let in on the ‘deal’.

Correspondence and Deputations

4.1 – A letter expressing concern about the Seguin/James Street intersection following the accident that took place there on Friday October 11, 2013. [Passed on to Staff.]

4.3 – A letter concerning a culvert replacement on Marion Street and water service issues on Isabella Street. [Passed on to Staff.]

5.1 – A deputation informing Council and the public about an art installation commemorating aboriginal women in Canada who have gone missing or have been murdered in the last 20 years. It will be in Parry Sound January 10-31 of 2014. [A positive reception from Council that suggests the Town will donate $500 to the cost of hosting the installation.]

Consent Agenda

There is nothing significant on the Consent Agenda.

Resolutions and Directions to Staff

9.2.1 – Council Meeting Dates – 2014 [CARRIED]

9.2.2 – A resolution to endorse the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and OPP’s new billing model. [CARRIED – see my meeting preview notes for more information.]

9.5.1 – Roof Repair – A resolution to accept a tender from J.G. Fitzgerald & Sons Ltd. for  $145,000, plus HST, to repair of the Waste Water Treatment Plant roof and the Parry Sound Public Library roof. The Library roof repair is to be funded $60,000 from the Library Reserve and $47,000 from the Reserve for Rate Stabilization. [CARRIED]

By-Laws

10.1.1 – a by-law to authorize the execution of an Agreement Between the Parry Sound Area Planning Board and Parry Sound to lease a portion of the Fire/Emergency Services Complex at 4 Church Street. [CARRIED]

10.4.1 – a by-law to grant Site Plan Approval and authorize the execution and registration of a development agreement with Alexei Klimov for an eight unit residential complex at 81 River Street. [CARRIED – this was more interesting than I initially realized. Apparently the builder had started construction on the site without a building permit. It’s the white ICF structure on River Street that has been stalled for the last couple of weeks. Council expressed surprise about this very obvious transgression but decided to let the project move forward after all of the appropriate applications and documentation had been since provided.]

10.4.2 – a by-law to deem certain lots in the Town of Parry Sound not to be part of a registered Plan of Subdivision (Hands the Family Help Network) to permit an expansion of the facility. [CARRIED]

These notes review only those portions of the council meeting that I see as having greater importance or general community interest. See my agenda preview posts for additional comments.

The official minutes from council meetings are available at the Town of Parry Sound website, no later than the Friday following the meeting. The full council proceeding are available on video through Cogeco. Schedule details are available from the town office (705-746-2101).

It Was a Misty Morning (Parry Sound in Black & White)

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Council Agenda Update – November 5, 2013

05 Tuesday Nov 2013

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An updated agenda has been issued for tonight’s meeting of Council. Apparently an item related to Parry Sound Power/Lakeland Merger has been added to the closed session.

It has been some time since there has been an update on the status of the discussions. This last minute addition to the agenda may suggest ‘the end is near’. I understand that a final agreement will require the approval of each of several municipalities who are shareholders in Lakeland Power, in addition of course to Parry Sound.

Stay tuned.

Council Agenda Preview – November 5, 2013

04 Monday Nov 2013

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Another light meeting this week with little on the agenda that might be considered controversial. Perhaps energy is being invested in the 2014 budget.

Item 9.2.2, a proposed revision of OPP charges to municipalities seems to be positive for Parry Sound as discussed below. It is interesting to note that OPP salaries will be increasing 8.5% in the coming year. Does anyone else think that this seems to be a ‘bit’ high in the context of inflation and wage increases given to other sectors? With these types of salary increases and a relative lack of accountability for on the job performance it’s not surprising that so many young people want to join the police force.

Correspondence and Deputations

4.1 – A letter expressing concern about the Seguin/James Street intersection following the accident that took place there on Friday October 11, 2013. [This is a follow up to the deadly accident that occurred at this intersection in October with a suggestion on how to better ensure driver compliance with pedestrian walk signs.]

4.3 – A letter concerning a culvert replacement on Marion Street and water service issues on Isabella Street.

5.1 – A deputation informing Council and the public about an art installation commemorating aboriginal women in Canada who have gone missing or have been murdered in the last 20 years. It will be in Parry Sound January 20-31 of 2014.

Consent Agenda

There is nothing significant on the Consent Agenda.

Resolutions and Directions to Staff

9.2.1 – Council Meeting Dates – 2014 [Dates are included in the Council package. Basically its every first and third Tuesday of the month with some exceptions.]

9.2.2 – A resolution to endorse the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and OPP’s new billing model. [This is in interesting item that provides considerable information on the relative cost of policing services for Parry Sound and other Ontario communities with OPP coverage. The charge to Parry Sound for OPP service is $667 (net $408) per household. The charge to Seguin is $128 (net $128), and Carling $75 (net $75) per household. The net price refers to the cost after provincial grants. Under the proposed billing model each community will be charged the same flat rate on a per household basis for basic policing services with additional charges on a ‘per incident’ basis. So, if Parry Sound has more domestic incidents than the surrounding community we will be paying more. And if some of our neighbours decide to come to Parry Sound, get drunk and pass out on Bowes Street, the Town will be charged for the cost of the OPP service. All-in-all it’s a much better arrangement. Municipalities that have been coasting on very low OPP charges will be required to pay more while communities like Parry Sound will see a savings.]

9.5.1 – Roof Repair – A resolution to accept a tender from J.G. Fitzgerald & Sons Ltd. for  $145,000, plus HST, to repair of the Waste Water Treatment Plant roof and the Parry Sound Public Library roof. The Library roof repair is to be funded $60,000 from the Library Reserve and $47,000 from the Reserve for Rate Stabilization.

By-Laws

10.1.1 – a by-law to authorize the execution of an Agreement Between the Parry Sound Area Planning Board and Parry Sound to lease a portion of the Fire/Emergency Services Complex at 4 Church Street.

10.4.1 – a by-law to grant Site Plan Approval and authorize the execution and registration of a development agreement with Alexei Klimov for an eight unit residential complex at 81 River Street.

10.4.2 – a by-law to deem certain lots in the Town of Parry Sound not to be part of a registered Plan of Subdivision (Hands the Family Help Network) to permit an expansion of the facility.

That’s pretty much it. See you Tuesday.

Delivering the Goods (Parry Sound in Black & White)

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Note: Not all agenda items are covered here. I typically skip items that have little material impact on the town. These items include simple requests for Tag Days (permission to canvas), Awareness Weeks/Months, road closures for civic events, and the like. Want to see everything that is on the agenda? The full agenda can be found at the town’s website (http://townofparrysound.com/pagesmith/14).